7 killed in Qatar helicopter crash due to technical malfunction, Qatari and Turkish authorities say

Seven people have been killed in a helicopter crash in Qatar's territorial waters, Qatar and Turkey said on Sunday.

The Qatari and Turkish defence ministries said the helicopter had crashed after suffering a technical malfunction, which the Qatari ministry said was during "routine duty".

Four of those killed were Qatari armed forces personnel, one was from the Qatar-Turkey joint forces and two were technicians, the Turkish and Qatari defence ministries said.

"Military cooperation and coordination activities between the Republic of Turkey and the State of Qatar continue uninterrupted within the framework of existing agreements and plans," the Turkish defence ministry said.

According to Qatar’s Defence Ministry, the deceased were identified as pilot Captain Mubarak Salem Daway al-Marri, Sergeant Fahad Hadi Ghanem al-Khayarin, Corporal Mohammed Maher Mohammed and Captain Saeed Nasser Samekh (all from Qatar Armed Forces); Major Sinan Tastekin (Qatar-Turkiye Joint Forces), and Turkish civilian collaborators Suleiman Cemra Kahraman and Ismail Anas Can.

The ministry extended “its sincere condolences” to the families of the victims.

The Turkish Ministry of National Defence ‌also said in a statement that one of its ⁠soldiers and two personnel from Turkish defence ⁠firm Aselsan were killed ⁠in the helicopter crash, adding the aircraft had crashed due to a technical issue during ⁠a training flight.

The statement added that Qatari authorities would carry out inspections ‌to determine the exact cause of ‌the ‌crash.

No immediate information was available on the cause beyond the technical malfunction, and there was no indication that the crash was the result of hostile action.

Reporting by Jaidaa Taha, ⁠Menna ​Alaa El-Din, Muhammad ​Al Gebaly and Tuvan Gumrukcu. Editing by ​Elaine Hardcastle and Jane Merriman

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